Norma Preparing for the Quieter Life

AUSTRALIAN singer-songwriter NORMA O'HARA MURPHY has announced she will opt out of touring to concentrate on writing, and will perform one of her last shows in a while in Newcastle this weekend.

The three-times GOLDEN GUITAR winner and her Irish band THE LEPRECHAUNS will present a family-oriented 'Christmas package' of Irish folk and country music on Friday at Mayfield Ex-Services Club.

O'Hara Murphy wrote two songs - PADDY WILLIAM and NEVER WAS AT ALL - for the most recent SLIM DUSTY album.

She has also co-wrote WHEN WE WERE KIDS with JOHN WILLIAMSON, which was a Tamworth Songwriters song of the year, and has had a song FACE IN THE CROWD recorded by Ireland's MARY DUFF. According to the singer's partner PAUL BUDDLE, O'Hara Murphy has decided to give touring away after spending two months a year on the road for the past 13 years.

'She will be doing concerts if people ask her. She just won't be chasing work,' he said.

O'Hara Murphy is versatile, even writing a comedy song JUST A DAG for the last COL ELLIOTT album COL'S NEW WORLD. She received three Golden Guitar awards in her career for songs HOW THE FIRE QUEEN CROSSED THE SWAMP, SARA'S MEMORY and TAMWORTH. The singer is performing this week as the guest of 2NUR-FM COUNTRY SOUNDS presenter BRUCE HOWAT, who plans to hold a second COUNTRY MUSTER after January 2001. TE